


That Thou Must Leave Ere Long

by the_fox333



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, F/F, I managed to make myself cry, So you know it must be sad as heck, no happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-02
Updated: 2017-04-02
Packaged: 2018-10-13 21:23:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10522149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_fox333/pseuds/the_fox333
Summary: Shakespeare's Sonnet 73 messed me up so now it's gonna mess y'all up too





	

_That time of year thou mayst in me behold_  
_When yellow leaves, or none, or few do hang_  
_Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,_  
_Bare ruin'd choirs, where late the sweet birds sang._

Undyne knew from the moment the doctor entered the room that something was wrong. "Well, what is it?" she glared, trying to keep the growl out of her voice. "What's wrong with Alphy?" She tightened her grip on her wife's hand. "How long will it take her to get better?"

The doctor's grave expression spoke volumes, but her words were just as potent. "I'm afraid it's not that simple," she sighed. "Doctor Alphys, I'm sorry, but..." She glanced away before continuing. "The tests show you have Stage IV pancreatic cancer. I'd give you eight months, and that's being generous."

The closest Undyne could come to describing her emotions was as if Asgore had hit her full force in the stomach with a sledgehammer. "Eight... eight months?" she stammered. She could feel Alphys' grip tighten, could feel her breathing stop for a moment.

"No," Undyne blurted, trying to pull herself together. "Alphy's not gonna die. People survive cancer all the time. What kind of treatments are there?"

"The eight months is assuming regular radiation and chemotherapy," the doctor shook her head. "We have an experimental program underway right now using magic as treatment, but there are certain requirements you have to meet. And no matter what you do, it's just delaying the inevitable. Only twenty percent of patients survive a full year, and less than five percent make it even five."

"Then Alphy is gonna be in that five percent, damn it," Undyne growled, pulling Alphys into a one-armed hug. "I'm not going to let her die, not in eight months and not until I'm dust."

At this, Alphys let out a quiet sob and buried her face in Undyne's chest. Unable to help herself, Undyne felt tears streaming down her own face, dream-like in her detachment from them. For the moment, they lost themselves in te tears, as if crying would make it all better.

_In me thou seest the twilight of such day_  
_As after sunset fadeth in the west,_  
_Which by and by black night doth take away,_  
_Death's second self, that seals up all in rest._

Alphys lay back on her bed, staring at the ceiling she and Undyne had painted the month before. It was a perfect replica of the night sky from the day of their wedding, each star preserved in the permanence of paint. She smiled thinly, as had become her way. The only times she really smiled anymore were when she managed to forget her impending fate, and those times were few and far between.

It was almost funny, really. For years, Alphys had toyed with the idea of ending her life, coming more than once to the very brink of doing so. But now that death was inevitable, her biggest concern was preventing it. Not at first, though. For a good week after the diagnosis, her view had been, _If I'm going to die anyway, why wait?_ Twice in that week Undyne had caught her, gently taking the pills from her hand and hugging her tight, with maybe a little crying, too. It was the second time when Undyne told her, "Alphy, maybe you don't care when you die, but I sure as hell do. I want to be able to cherish you for as long as I can, so cutting that time short is counterproductive, right?" It was then that Alphys truly stopped living for herself and started living for Undyne. Again, funny that it was the swiftly approaching end of life that gave her a reason not to embrace it.

Alphys frowned as she remembered the rigors that came with staving off that embrace. Tomorrow, she was scheduled to return to the hospital for another application of healing magic. The test was going well so far, but the doctor still couldn't guarantee her more than a year; seven months now. Only seven months to do- everything. She hadn't cured the Amalgamates, hadn't unlocked the secrets of Determination, hadn't even been able to suggest having children, whether or not that would have been a good idea anyway. There was too much Alphys wanted to do, too much she now couldn't. One whole life was hardly enough for some to achieve their goals, to say nothing of half. It just wasn't fair.

_In me thou see'st the glowing of such fire_  
_That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,_  
_As the death-bed whereon it must expire_  
_Consumed with that which it was nourish'd by._

"A week, at most. I'm sorry, but there's nothing we can do."

"You promised a year!" Undyne snarled, her fearsome expression diluted by the tears streaming down her face. "She was supposed to have a year!"

"Undyne..." Alphys lifted her arm, her wife immediately kneeling by the side of her bed. "It's okay. Cancer does that sometimes. It's out of our control."

"No!" Undyne snapped. "It's not okay! I wanted you to have those three more months! There was so much you could have-"

"Undyne." Alphys placed a hand on hers. "Two years, eleven months, and twenty-six days. That's how long I've had with you." Undyne sniffed and scowled at her. "I wish I could have more time- I wish I could have forever with you- but that's not how it turned out. We can't change the facts, but we can change the feelings."

"Stop acting like you're- already dead." Undyne slumped towards Alphys, who pulled her into a hug. "A week. We have that." Alphys was silent. "Come on, Alphy, don't give up yet. For me if for nothing else, right?" Her only response was to hold Undyne a little tighter.

_This thou perceivest, which makes thy love more strong,_

The doctor's voice was soft as Undyne stepped through the door. "She doesn't have long. We gave her another dose of magic, but it won't last forever. Unless you want to be here when she goes, you have five minutes tops."

Undyne rushed over to Alphys' bedside. "Alphy, are you okay?" Alphys smiled at her weakly, and Undyne could see she had been crying.

"I was afraid... you wouldn't get here in time," Alphys whispered. "I wanted to see you one last time." She closed her eyes for a moment and was surprised when she heard Undyne begin to sob.

"Maybe you think I'll be fine. Maybe you think I'll move on. You're WRONG, Alphy. I'm never-" Undyne gasped. "I'm never going to forget you, I'm never going to stop loving you, I-" Undyne threw her arms around Alphys. "I love you so, so much, Alphy," she sobbed. "I don't know how I'll live without you."

"Promise me that you will," Alphys whispered. "No matter what, Undyne, you have to live out the rest of your life. For me, if for nothing else." Alphys did her best to smile, and Undyne buried her face in Alphys' shoulder, soaking the hospital gown with tears. "Please, Undyne, promise."

Undyne pulled her head away, not even bothering to wipe her face. "I promise," she sniffed. "Anything for you, Alphy. Oh god, anything for you..."

"I love you, Undyne."

_To love that well, which thou must leave ere long._


End file.
